Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, has disclosed that he is in alliance talks with a fellow contender for the Senate presidency race, Abdul Aziz Yari.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, had nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for Senate Presidency and Tajudeen Abbas for Speakership position of the House of Representatives.
The party also nominated Jibrin Barau and Benjamin Kalu for deputy senate president and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.
But while addressing journalists on Tuesday, Mr Kalu, who is a top contender for the country’s number three seat, insisted that he would not step down for anybody.
The former governor of Abia State also said the outcome of their meetings with the former governor of Zamfara State would be unveiled to the public soon.
“I won’t step down for anybody. We are talking with governor Yari. Our group and his group are talking, intimate talk and partnership. We will make sure that no one zone can produce the senate presidency,” he said.
“Like I used to tell people, no one zone can produce the president of Nigeria. What we are trying to do with Senator Yari is a united partnership that will work for Nigeria. In the coming days or weeks, that partnership will be unveiled, so we are in serious talks.
“I cannot deny it—Yari is a friend of mine, and I’m his friend, and we have decided to talk. We have been speaking for the past four weeks, and the result will be unveiled by our sponsors, He has his sponsors, and I have my sponsors.
“So the sponsors will come together to decide what direction this partnership will be. I’ll be very happy to reveal what the sponsors will say,” he added.
According to him, both of them are seeking to protect the integrity of the Senate and support the new administration of President Bola Tinubu.
